


Day Four: Snowflake

by mathgeek27



Series: Drabble a Day Challenge [4]
Category: drabble a day challenge - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-31 19:49:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3990547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mathgeek27/pseuds/mathgeek27





	Day Four: Snowflake

Jon wasn't used to getting off work so early, and he relished the daylight that still filled the sky. Even with the heavy cloud cover, it was plenty bright, and he could definitely get used to it. It was delightful to peruse the shops on his way home; they were all closed by the time he normally got off. All the windows were still lit and Jon marvelled at how welcoming the block looked.

So welcoming, in fact, that he thought to stop at The Deep Cup for something to keep him warm on the remainder of his walk.

Deep Cup was a different place at 1800 than it was at 0700, when Jon usually stopped by. The light slanted in through the western windows, changing the atmosphere completely. It wasn't crowded with professionals as it was in the mornings, and university students were everywhere, all working on assignments.

It was with great surprise, therefore, when Jon noticed the one similarity: Emmeline, his favourite barista, was still here. She looked up from her cleaning as he entered the coffee shop, setting off the door's faint chime. Emmeline smiled at him, looking just as kind and welcoming as she had eleven hours earlier. Lord knows how she did it; after such a long day, Jon looked dreadfully exhausted, and her job was much harder than his.

"Funny seeing you here at this time, Jon. Have you gone nocturnal on me?"

"Good guess, but alas, no. I got off early today and I want to celebrate. Definitely with a decaf, please."

Emmeline's eyes crinkled when she smiled. It did make her look older, but Jon thought it was a pleasant ageing.

He contemplated Emmeline and her smile while she made him his latte. There wasn't a thing wrong with her, but Jon didn't feel anything beyond camaraderie towards her. His supervisor and not-really-mate Chris ribbed him constantly about her. He called her 'the sexy barista' and asked when Jon was going to make the jump. It was deeply uncomfortable for Jon, but Chris didn't seem to notice a thing. The persistent bothering was bad enough, but what really upset Jon was the way that Chris talked about Emmeline.

Chris really didn't get it, Jon reflected, hazelnut latte in hand and a five snuck into the tip jar. How someone could be so sexist and ignorant, Jon didn't know, but somehow, Chris managed it. They even worked for a firm with 80 % female employees, and Chris still ran around with his head in the 1950s. Honestly, Jon thought that Chris should know better, even if he didn't work in a female dominant field, just by the virtue of knowing at least one woman in his entire life. It was just common sense and common decency, but Chris was rather lacking in both.

As he left Deep Cup, Jon noticed that someone had strung up paper snowflakes in the window. They had Emmeline's aura about them, and Jon wasn't surprised. She was always crafty like that, making little decorations for the shop. Winter was also her favourite season, and now that it was starting to get colder, she would be gearing up for snow.

The warmth of his latte and the image of the snowflakes kept him comfortable through the chill as he walked home. As he unlocked the front door and began to settle in for the night, he made a decision. The next time Chris brought up Emmeline, Jon would explain his stance. He wasn't sure that Chris would understand the value of strictly platonic relationships, but that was his loss. Jon would do his best to put his beliefs into words, and that was the best he could do.


End file.
